Ordnance recoil and run-out apparatus



A'. T. DAWSDN AND D. T. DUDKHAM.

ORDNANCE RECOIL AND RUN-OUT APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. To. 1919.

1 344,62 1 Patented June 29, 1920.

A. T. DAWSON AND G. T. BUCKHAM.

ORDNANCE RECOIL AND RUN-OUT APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. Io, I9I9.

1 344,62 1 5 Patented .Tune 29, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

UNITED STATES' PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR, TEEvOE DAWsoN AND GEORGE THOMASy EUOKHAM, or wEsTMINs'rEn., LONDON, ENGLAND, AssIGNOEs rro vIoKEEs LIMITED, OE WEs'rMrNsTEE,

LONDON, ENGLAND.

ORDNANCE 'RECOIL AND RUN-OUT APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.v Patented June 29, 192() Application filed November 10. 1919. Serial No. 337.042.

out apparatus for high angle ordnancepar-V ticularly anti-aircraft ordnance, in which the load on the run-out springs or the air pressure in the air recuperator has to be very high to insure the proper run-out ofthe gun when firing at high angles of elevation. The chief object of the invention is to provide in an improved manner-for obtaining a uniform or approximately uniform length of recoil at all angles of elevation of the gun and uniformity or substantial uniformity in the run-.out movement Yat all angles of elevation.

According tothe present invention two conduits are provided one serving to establish liquid communication between each end of the recoil cylinder and the other serving to establish liquid communication between a recess (in which a retarding ram works) and. the recoil cylinder, these conduitsbeing controlled by valves or cocks which aremoved automatically during the elevation of the gun and the said conduits and valves being employed in addition to and independently of any known or desired means for gradually cutting olf the flow of liquid past the recoil or brake piston during recoil and past the retarding ram during run-out.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect,

. the same will be described lmore fully with this ram works.

Fig. 4 is a local section taken on the line 4, 4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a sectional side elevation showing a form of the invention as employed with the type of recoil and run-out apparatus in which the recoil piston is4 attached to the cradle and the recoil cylinderis attached to they gun. Y

, Fig. 6 is a frontelevation of'Fig. 5, andl igs. 7 and 8 Vare sections taken approximately on the lines 7, 7 and 8, 8 `of Fig. 5.

A. is the recoil or brake cylinder, A. is its piston and a is the piston rod, the said piston having a part in which works a tapered valve keyra (Fig. 2) in the cylinderv as is well understood or the wall of the cylinder A having a tapered slot or keyway a0 (Fig.

5) as is also well understood. A2 is the aforesaid conduit serving to establish liquid v communication between each endy of the re- .coil cylinder, `and a2 is the lvalve or cock .which automatically controls the assage of the liquid throughthis conduit. tarding ram and B is the recess in which v B2 is the aforesaid conduit serving to establish liquid communication is the rebetween the recess B and the recoil cylinder I A and b2 is the valve or cock which automatically controls f the passage of the liquid `through-this conduit. y

Y In the 'construction shown by Figs. l to 4, the conduitAZ. is constituted by apassage in the wall ofthe recoil cylinder A and the valve orcoclr a? is constituted by a rotary :plug which isarrangedtransversely at the .front'par't of the said conduit and isfformed .with a suitably shapedy port o2* as shown. The said passage A2 communicateswith each end of the cylinder at suchpointsthat when the gun is in the run-out position the for- Ward end of the passage is behind the recoil vor brake piston as shown by full lines in Fig. 2, :and when the gun is in lits fully recoiled position the rear end of the passage is in frontof this piston as shown by chain lines in Fig. 2. Theplug a2 is angularly displaced during theelevation of ythe gun Vby suitable means such as a rodv A3 connected at one end to an arm as On the plug a2 and at the other end to the gun carriage at a point some Vdista'ncefrom the axis of the gun trunnions, in suchmanner asl to Obtainan angular movementY of the lug which may. be equal to or proportional to the angle of ele- The other conduit B2 is constituted by ank axial passage in the retarding ram B, the rear end of this passage opening upon the rear face of the ram and therefore into' the recess B when the ramvis situated within this recess which in the example shownV is formed in the rod a of the piston A', the front endof this passage opens into a transverse hole in a head ZJ* on this ram, this hole communicating with a longitudinal hole whose rear end is open at the rear face of this head. The aforesaid valve orcock b2 is lin the f orm of a rotary plug arranged transversely at the junction ofthe aforesaid transverse and longitudinal holes and provided with a suitably formed port2x. This plug is'automatically moved in any `suitable manner during the elevation and .depression of the gun and the port Z22* is so constructed that the passage B2 in the retarding ram is completelyclosed when the gun is horizontal but becomes fully open when thegun reaches the maximum angle ofelevation. When the valve is completely closed, the liquidcan escape only through the passage provided by a tapered flat surface B3 on the retarding ram.V The retarding ram 'is held in position in the cylinder by a screw-threaded'plug AX in the cylinder A bearing against the front surface of the head bx tol press the rear surface of the latter against a shoulder in the cylinder and the head has an aXial extension BXV disposed in a recess in a nut a screwed into the cylinder behind the plug. v

lThe two plugs a2, b2 are preferably connected together by a -parallel motion linkage (see Fig. l) so that they move simultaneously through thel same angle during the elevation of the gun', and it will be observed that as one of them is being opened the other isbeing closed and vice versa, the

' plug Z22 reaching the fully open position at the same time thatthe plug a2 reaches its fully closed position.`

V,In the construction shown by Figs. 5` to 8, the piston rod a is made hollow throughout itsl entire length to receive a rod C whose rear part is made hollow and divided intotwo by a screw threaded plug c to form two chambers 'A2 and C2 of which the former constitutes the iconduit'between the two ends of thek cylinder VA yand the chamber C2 formsthe end' of the recessB in the piston rod a for the retarding ram B.' The walls of the chambers A2 and G2 constitute the aforesaid 'valves a2 V and b2 respectively, the kwall a2 of the chamber A2 being formed with twoA ports, a2", a2. adapted to register withports A2X, A2X in the passes from the recess B to the cylinder A.V

The rod C passes through a gland ,C3 at the front end of thepiston rod a and is pre-Y vented from moving axially by a collar C. The said rod isfree to be moved angularly about its axis and to effect this movement automatically during the elevation of the gun the end ofthe rod is Connected to an arm C* which ,is suitably connected by a link .C1X to a lever C2* pivoted on the spring case or other Yconvenient part,'this leverbei,

ing connected by a rod C3* to the gun carriage in an eccentric position with respect tothe axis of the gun trunnions;v Y Y c l/Vhen the gun is horizontal the flowgof liquid governing theV recoil is regulated by the area of the keywaya0 and the effective areas of the ports a, A2X whichiareffully open in this positiom'the forward port A2X being elosedat a predetermined distance before `the end of the recoil stroke by being covered by the casing of the gland CW Y through which jthe piston rod af/ passes, The shape and area of the ports are so proportioned as to obtain uniformity or .surbstantial uniformity in the run-out' at all angles ofelevation. When 'the gunisin the horizontal position and'is running home the Viiow of the liquid from the recess B is regulated in the ordinary vway by the tapered flat surface Bion, the retarding ramV B, the port b2* being atthis time closed.

This port is fully opened' when theV gun is at full elevation. The' shape and area of this port is so proportionedas to give approximately the correct amount of netard'ation automatically at Vall intermediate angles of elevation. c 7 i f lVhat we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United VStates is i 1. In ordnance recoil apparatus, the combination with therecoil cylinder, the recoil pistonV working therein, and means 'for gradually cutting. off the flow ofthe liquid past the piston during recoil', of a conduit in the wall of theV cylinder serving to estab- Y,

lish liquid communication between each end of the recoil cylinder and independent of the first mentioned means, a valve controlling said condu1t,`andmeans for moving gles of elevation. Y Y, Y Y y Y. 2.21m ordnance recoil-andrun-out apparatus, thevcombination with the recoilfcyl'- inder, Vthe recoil piston working therein,

means for gradually cutting oiil Vthe flow-of the liquidpast the piston during recoil, a retarding ram,` a recess in which this Works and means for gradually cutting off the low of the liquid` past the retarding ram during run-out, of a conduit serving to establish liquid communication between each end of the recoil cylinder and inde-V pendent of the means for gradually cutting off the liow of liquid past the piston during recoil, a valve controlling said conduit, a conduit serving to establish liquid communication between said recess and said cyl# inder and independent of ythe means for gradually cutting oil the iow of liquid past the retarding ram during run-out, a valve controlling the second mentionedv conduit, and means for moving said valves automatically during the elevation of the gun.

3. In ordnance recoil and run-out apparatus, the combination with the recoil cylinder, the recoil piston working therein,

establish liquid communication between' each end of the recoil cylinder, a rotary plug valve controlling said conduit, a conduit serving to establish liquid communication between said recess and said cylinder, a rotary plug valve controlling the second mentioned conduit, and means for moving said rotary plug valves automatically during the elevation of the gun.

In testimony whereof, we aliX our signatures.

ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON.

GEORGE THOMAS BUOKHAM. 

